DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to the genius Henry Lawlor.
NANCY is reading on the couch, a knock at the door announces the arrival of someone and without looking up from her book calls
The Scene occurs in NANCY'S living room - cozy, tidy but sparsely furnished.
Little is needed in the way of props. The Main Lighting is a standard household fluorescent. A down light highlights a painting above a potted palm in the corner. There is a couch, coffee table and sideboard in the room
NANCY is reading on the couch in her living room when a knock at the door announces the arrival of someone. Without looking up from her book, she calls out for the person to enter.
NANCY: Doors open hon, you left your keys here thi-
Barney enters room. NANCY is surprised
NANCY: (trails off from finishing sentence) Barney!
Barney embraces Nancy and kisses her cheek
Barney: Nance...Yeh look well.
Awkward silence. Barney caresses Nancy's cheek
NANCY: Barney don't….just don't!
Barney hands Nancy his jacket
Barney: What 's a man gotta do to get offered a drink around here?
NANCY nervously hurries to make some tea. BARNEY picks up a photo of a man from the sideboard. Puts it down quickly when NANCY calls out
NANCY: Still one sugar?
BARNEY: No, make it three.
Barney settles down in the couch. NANCY comes out with the tea. They sit and drink without speaking..
BARNEY:(eventually makes a face) No-one makes a cuppa like you Nance (Laughs awkwardly)
NANCY: Huh!…Some things never change (Takes a sip)…. and some things do.
BARNEY: They sure do.
BARNEY unenthusiastically takes another sip and nods to a framed photo behind her
BARNEY: That yer book bloke, eh?
(Awkward silence)
NANCY: Yes….that's Harry.
BARNEY: Funny looking kinda fellow don't ya reckon'?
NANCY: Almost as funny as you Barney.
BARNEY: I'm touched Nancy
Nancy places tea cup on table
NANCY: (dryly) Of course yer are. All niceties aside Barney, I'm glad yer came today - I've been wanting to speak to yer for the longest time.
BARNEY: I don't wonder.
Picks up a book from table and flicks through it without seeing it, raises eyes to Nancy
BARNEY: It's a wonder yer don't die o' the boredom
NANCY: Barney can we just be serious for one moment? I really….
BARNEY: What serious? Yer mean like this?
barney stands and balances a teaspoon on his nose
NANCY: (tightly) Very funny Barney.
barney grins and swaggers back to the couch
NANCY: Save it to amuse your painted crows alright? I don't even know why I bothered ter ask yer 'ere.
NANCY stands swiftly and starts to move away from the couch
NANCY: You should go Barney
BARNEY stands abruptly and takes 2 large strides towards NANCY and grabs her arm
BARNEY: Alrigh' don't go getting' all snakey on me now woman! I was just tryin' ter break the ice.
NANCY: (unimpressed) Oh is that so?
BARNEY:(winks) Yer bet!
Pinches NANCY's bottom cheekily and grips her arm tightly
NANCY: Alright Barney yer've had yer fun, now let go of my arm
Barney indicates the picture, releases arm
BARNEY: Not as much fun as that ol' rat I'm bettin'.
NANCY: (lightly) Much more fun if the rumours about yer luck with the ladies of late is true.
BARNEY: (freezes) Wait! who tol' yer that! Who's bin poking mud at me good reputation
NANCY: Things get around Barney - n' I got me sources
BARNEY: Wha? Who?
Barney stiffens and NANCY reaches out and pats Barney's cheek twice
NANCY:Ahh now that's for me to know and you to find out. Life's a pity, eh darl? Come on Barney, things get around, yer know that as much as the next person n' no-one's gonna think less of yer for it. yer secret's safe with me, cassa.
They sit for a moment in awkward silence. Barney turns to face, indicating the room with a sweep of his hand
BARNEY: Why did yer want ter see me Nance? Yer married and yer don't seem intent on any sorta' friendly reunion so whaddya want from me?
NANCY:Why do you assume I wants sumit from ya?
BARNEY takes a well-worn telegram out of his pocket and twirls it expertly between his fingers, looks coyly at NANCY
BARNEY: Ah well yer a sheila now ain't yer? an' you woman folk are always wantin' for something aren't they?
NANCY: I don't want anythin' from yer Barney, I just needed to chat ter yer.
BARNEY:(nods) I….I had thought that maybe yeh was havin' some second thoughts about all this and were….
NANCY: Wantin' yer back?
BARNEY: Yer….I mean….look around yer Nance - is this really what yer want? Are yer content with just the white picket fence?
NANCY: Whadduya mean?
BARNEY: In life I mean! This ain't you Nance - yer not cut out for all o' this! This is just the dust that yer walkin' through!
NANCY: Whadduya implyin' Barney?
BARNEY: I want yer back Nance, the lay-off just ain't right without yer!
NANCY: How so?
BARNEY: All o' it Nance! All o' it! Roo...n' Olive…n'…me…we just don't function right without yer! Come back.
NANCY: Barney…I'm married now!
BARNEY: It don't matter Nance! It ain't 'portent - all this. It's all just a bad mistake….come with me Nance. Yer the only woman I want! ….n'….well….fer what it's worth - I love yer.
NANCY: Yer love me Barney….just not enough.
BARNEY: What're yer talking 'bout woman? Haven't yer just bin listening ter me like?
NANCY: Yes Barney I have an' that's just the case. Even just now when yer was desperate for me back yer couldn't even mention commitment.
BARNEY: Whadduya talking bout Nance.
NANCY: REAL commitment Barney….yer know I gave you the best years o' my life an' you….yer just threw em' away wi' my love like it was a razoo.
BARNEY: No matter what I else I mighta done Nance, I supported yer for 16 years, an' every year I came back and showed yer a good time. That was how yer liked it so don't try and deny it!
NANCY: Barney do yer even remember what the lay-off was really like?
BARNEY: Course I do! It was time for livin'!
NANCY: If that's what yer believe Barney then I was right in leavin' yer.
BARNEY: What's that 'spose to mean? What's wrong with the lay-off?
NANCY: Barney, didn't yer ever see the cracks?
BARNEY: No Nance I didn't….I was havin' a good time, if yer can remember straight. All them crazy things we got up ta. I don't know how yer could have traded it up for a picket fence n' memories.
NANCY: I do remember straight! …n' yer right Barney, them first few lay-offs? They were great! I didn't think things could get any better than that, all four o' us havin' a grand ol' time together
Barney beams NANCY continues
NANCY: An' I was right! They didn't!
BARNEY: What yer got a snout on the lay-off for? Your mad Nance - Mad!
NANCY: Barney I don't wanna have a blue with yer, alright? I'm just sayin' the cracks started appearin' for me after I found out about all those other women.
BARNEY: Geeze yer a prickly pear, Sheila! You still carpin' on abou' that like? (Raising voice) How many times does a man gotta apologise? Yer know what I'm like when I meet a real pretty lady
NANCY: I know Barney, I've heard it all before….yer got a lota lovin' to give.
BARNEY: Don't yer get nasty on me now Nance….yer know I never meant to hurt yer. Just coz I kinda lose sighto what's important, dosen't mean I love yer any less.
NANCY: (raises voice) Don't yer get it Barney?? If yer ever stopped thinkin' bout yerself for one moment, yer'd realize how yer actions affect other people!
BARNEY: (genuinely surprised) What yer talking about Nance?
NANCY: I'm telling yer Barney that yer hurt me! How do you think knowin' yer was bein' the cassa o' the north while I was sittin' tight waitin for ya to return made me feel? Sittin' here and wonderin' what kinda painted crows yer were with and whether or not yer was thinkin' of me?
BARNEY: All right I get it Nancy! Everytime I see yer, yer just throw it in me face like a dirty dishrag! So I made a coupla mistakes? So what? I'm human ain't I?
NANCY: Pigs Barney, if my memory serves me right, I can count THREE major mistakes in different states.
BARNEY: (frustratedly) I'm sorry, all right? I didn't mean for all that ter happen. But I coulda stayed there yer know, but I came back ter yer. Every time Nancy! Give me some credit!
NANCY: Barney, the only reason you kept coming back to me was because I was the only woman naïve enough to let yer treat me like dirt an' keep coming back for more. All I was to yer was just some….shiela yer could have a jet with!! Face it Barney, yer was never serious bout me….bout' us!
BARNEY: Nance, calm down! Yer right, I treated yer shabbily. Now will yer just sit down n' stop wit' all the shoutin? Neighbours'l think I'm killin yer or sumthin'.
NANCY: I know Barney, I know… it's just...it's just frustratin,' because yer all made me feel like a right coot for leavin the lay-off - an' it was just like yers all choose not ter even remember all o' the arguments an' bickerin' that went on'
BARNEY: Is that why yer left, coz o' all the bickerin?
NANCY: No, it's not the only reason Barney - towards the end I could tell we were all driftin' apart and we're all getting older Barnes…. n' don't yer try n' deny it Barney! I knew the lay-off wasn't going to last forever and I kept holdin' out on leavin because I thought yer might come around and….n'
BARNEY: Share the dust?
NANCY: (smiles weakly) It's not quite how I'd put it…but yes Barney… I thought if I stayed long enough yer might marry me and we could be happy.
BARNEY: So what changed Nance? Coz if yer don't mind me sayin' so, when me n' Roo left for the last time, yer was right as rain n' the next I hear yer gone 'n' married some bookworm without' so much as a hooroo, catch yer later.
NANCY: (silent pause)….I know, an' I felt really guilty about how things ended between us. I wanted ter contact yer, 'bout Harry - so many times I tried…but I…that is ter say - I just couldn't.
Barney slaps her back playfully
BARNEY: (tries to lighten the mood) Well geeze, allo Sheila, what was so terrible yer couldn't send in a telegram?
NANCY: Barney…. I don't know how ter tell yer this….but (pause)….there was a baby.
There is a moment of shocked silence, which is broken by Barney's raucous laughter
BARNEY: Ah yer a real wag Nance! You can still get me, just like ol' times!
Nancy says nothing and swipes tears furiously from her face, Barney's eyes grow wide as he comprehends she is not joking
BARNEY: Pigs!..yer not jokin' are yer?
NANCY shakes her head, a tear trickles down her face
NANCY: No…I'm not.
BARNEY: Nance… I...I didn't know - I'm sorry…
NANCY: (laughs bitterly) Of course yer didn't know! No-one did ceptin ol' Emma.
BARNEY: She knew?
NANCY: (snorts) Nothing gets past that old shrewdy, Barney.
Barney abates into silence and awkwardly stares over NANCY'S head
NANCY: I found out a month after yer left for the cane fields…. I was so shocked, since I'd all but given up on the idea of ever having children (Laughs bitterly and turns to face Barney) and being the fool that I am I was over the moon because I thought being pregnant with yer child meant that I'd have a part of you forever, n' that maybe it'd settle yer down n' we could buy a house o' our own n' raise a family - white picket fence n' all.
Barney shifts uneasily at the reference to his earlier comment
BARNEY: Nancy I….I….
NANCY: (laughs mockingly cutting Barney off) Don't worry yerself Barney, I don't expect anything from yer.
Cuttingly stands and turns to leave. Barney stands and intercepts her enveloping her in his arms
NANCY: Let me go! Let me go you bludger!!
Beats futilely against his chest, Barney holds her in his arms, a pained expression on his face. Nancy collapses against his chest
NANCY: Why are yer doing this to me?
BARNEY: Nancy, what happened to the baby?
Nancy is still
NANCY: (whispers despairingly) I lost it.
Pushes herself away and sits rigidly, hands clenched, Barney seats himself beside her and watches her face intently
NANCY: (struggles to compose herself) I…. lost more than just the baby Barney (Whispers and turns to face him) when I lost that baby, something inside o' me died as well.
BARNEY is silent. Nancy continues
NANCY: Me whole body felt like ice and I was just numb… I couldn't feel anything….no emotion - joy, anger - even indifference…they were all lost to me….even the bit o' me that clung to me love for yer….but I realized yer never belonged to me….n' never would.
BARNEY opens his mouth to protest. Nancy silences him
NANCY: (dully) Barney, don't give me empty protests when I know well az' you they mean nothin'. (Directly) My world crumbled when I realized that, Barney…. I was. Devastated….n' it dawned on me what I was goin' to miss if I continued to love yer when yer couldn't love me enough to commit. (Laughs through her tears) – an' then when I reached me lowest, I met Harry …and he was so wonderful and caring (Pauses) ….He..he gives me what I need and I know that as long as I'm in his arms everything's okay. The numbness is gone and I can feel again (Emotionally)… an' that's very important to me Barney.
BARNEY: (painfully) an' that's why yer left then?
Nancy nods and turns away
NANCY: I.. couldn't contact yer, Barney. I was in grievin'…an', well I want yer to understand that was my last chance at havin' children an' a life with yer. Hesitates… In a way, my love died with our baby.
BARNEY: (dully) Why are yer telling me this, Nancy? Why now?
Stands and avoids Nancy's eyes. Nancy stands and touches his wrist. He stands very still, unmoving. NANCY draws nearer and closes her eyes
NANCY: Because I need closure Barney.
Barney turns and Nancy opens her eyes, eyes glisten
NANCY: I knew telling yer wouldn't change anything, but I thought yer had the right to know (Hesitates)… n' - I can't move on with my life until I settle everythin' that passed between us n' told yer what happened n' my reason for leaving.
Barney studies Nancy
BARNEY: I'm sorry I wasn't there to make it right, Nance.
Nancy smiles and embraces Barney
NANCY: (whispers) Yer here now n' that's all that's important.
Barneypushes NANCY away, holding her at arms length with her hands cupped in his own until she looks up to search his eyes
BARNEY: It's not Nance. Yer was worth more an' how I treated yer. I was too selfish to realize how much I took yer for granted an' I didn't really understand how much until yer was gone.
NANCY: (chokes) Yer don't know how long I've wanted to hear yer say that Barney….an' now it doesn't even matter anymore.
Barney raises Nancy's chin
BARNEY: No no no no, don't say that Nance!
NANCY: (sobs) It's true Barney! Yeh've left it to late… don't yer understand?
BARNEY: I know I've been a damned fool Nance, but I wanna make it right! (Voice throbs) Give me a second chance n' let me show you how much I love yer.
NANCY: Barn-
Moves suddenly and sweeps NANCY swiftly into his arms
BARNEY: I'm serious Nance! I wanna do it properly this time! Marriage, monogamy an'..an' kids, the whole package if yer'll just give me a chance!
NANCY raises a hand to BARNEY'S cheek
NANCY: Are you serious Barney?
BARNEY: Deathly
BARNEY passionately kisses NANCY and she responds, they move blindly backwards to the couch knocking a small case over, the framed picture on top of the case falls to the floor and smashes, Nancy pulls away and hurries to the photo and picks it up from among the glass, shaking it carefully
NANCY: (exclaims) My wedding photo!
Barney moves up and embraces her from behind as she runs a finger over Harry's face, a look of guilt on her face. He removes the photo from her limp fingers
BARNEY: (simply) Forget him!
NANCY turns and regards BARNEY - torn, fiddling with her wedding ring
NANCY: Barney I can't I just can't!
BARNEY: (frustrated) But I just promised yer everything yer've ever wanted! Make up yer mind what yer want Nance!
NANCY: Barney – we've been down this road before. I cry n' you make all the promises under the sun that it won't happen again (Pauses) but it always does.
BARNEY: So what're yer saying Nancy, what're yer tellin' me?
NANCY: (softly) I'm saying Barney that yer're the sorta bloke that'll never be ready to commit. An'..well I'm just not willing to wait half my life for somebody who's only half sure I'm the woman for him.
Barney is silent
NANCY: I'm also telling yer (Continues softly) that despite everything that's passed between us, I still love yer…n' a little bit of me always will. So I'm askin' yer to understand - that chapter o' my life is over and I….I can't go back (Voice cracks)…and if yer truly do care for me like yer say yer do… yer'll let me go.
BARNEY: I'm not ready to let go yet Nance, without yer, I'm just a washed up has-been.
NANCY: No Barney, we're nothing together, but apart – we are everything.
BARNEY: What yer sayin' Nance? That we were nothing?
NANCY: Barney, you were my world for 16 years... an' I'll never forget that, my door is always open to yer, but what I'm tellin' yer now though is that sometimes we live, sometimes we love n' sometimes, just sometimes mind - we learn.
Barney shakes his head in appeal
BARNEY: Nancy…
NANCY: Harry an' I are right for each other Barney…he..he gives me what I really need in a way that yer'll never be able to. (Both are silent) An' I just hope that yer find somebody who loves yer half as much as I did – and that for your sake, yeh'll love em' back.
BARNEY: Nancy, there's no other woman for me out there…. yer got somthing that the rest o' them'll never have.
NANCY: What is that Barney?
BARNEY: My heart.
Nancy embraces Barney, kisses his cheek and whispers in his ear
NANCY: I know it seems like that now, but give love a chance an' it'll come to yeh.
In the distance a car pull into the driveway and NANCY looks alertly to the door.
NANCY: That'll be Harry, yer need to go Barney, I can't risk him findin' us here together like this.
BARNEY nods in agreement, gathers his hat and coat, indicates to the smashed glass
BARNEY: How'll yer explain that one?
Calmly ushers BARNEY to the backdoor, BARNEY exits and turns
NANCY: An accident.
BARNEY: Nanc-
NANCY: We've had all we need to say together, you an' I Barney, now just go…Go an' don't look back.
They hold each other's gaze for the barest instance. Barney lifts a hand in salute and is gone. NANCY closes the door and begins to sweep up the mess of the picture frame as crunches on the gravel announce Harry's arrival. NANCY greets her husband with a long, warm embrace.
NANCY: How was yeh day, Harry?
END SCENE